Podcast

Lauren – What it was like to face Ryan Giggs

Lauren
Lauren

Lauren always knew he was in for a huge test facing Ryan Giggs -- none more so when the title was on the line at Old Trafford in 2002.



In one of his best-ever displays for us, the Cameroon defender shut down the Manchester United forward as we sealed the double at the home of our rivals.

 

"I mean 2001/02 was unbelievable because finally we won the league at Old Trafford," Lauren told our In Lockdown podcast. "I think in that game, in my opinion it was one of the best games I played in as a defender because personally I was suffering a little bit because of Ryan Giggs.

 

"Giggs was unbelievable, he was one of the most intelligent players I played against because he knew the movement, he was always looking behind, he didn't stand still, he was unpredictable.

 

"Sometimes he would go inside, sometimes he would go outside, sometimes he took on players, sometimes he played one touch, two touch, so you could never guess his movement. I didn't want to anticipate, I didn't want to stay, so I was thinking how to stop this guy.

 

"I think when we finished that game it was one of my best games because I managed to find out how to cope in this position and I managed to cope against this top player."

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